Hasty Brook is the loveliest place in my world. It's a little piece of heaven in northern Minnesota.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Pine Siskins Mixing it Up

A few weeks ago when we were last at Hasty Brook the predominant bird sighted at the feeders were goldfinches. Last weekend I bought one of those cheap thistle socks ($1.99) and brought some of my stash of niger thistle and hung it from a branch in a spruce tree. Within an hour this little bird showed up. I thought it was a Pine Siskin but couldn't get a look at any yellow and she wasn't talking! With identification help by email from Mike Hendrickson he confirmed that it was a Pine Siskin! Later that afternoon I heard the familiar call of the siskins.Check out her slender pointed bill.

Soon there was a mob of siskins. Mike said that if there is an abundant food supply for them they will breed in northern Minnesota. According to Sibley they will feed "on buds and seeds of birches, alders, pines, and other trees. Also takes small insects." My new Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America states: "Flocks devour thistle seeds at feeders." They emptied half of this feeder in an afternoon! The males seemed particularly feisty, jostling for position on the feeder.

Those are great shots. It really shows the yellow on the pine siskins. That last one really looks like they are threatening each other. I love the wing spread on the second to the last photo. He's showing off his beautiful wing color.